Coming Home to Seattle

We had the great privilege of having Chelsea spend a week with us on her way home from

BYU-Idaho (we forgave her for attending said school). It was great to watch her, Derek and Scott trading insults and jabs -- and all the while laughing and having a good time. Jon made up a bunch of corny sayings and everytime he said them, Chelsea dutifully giggled...

Chelsea came the week of the "HEAT WAVE" however, we did manage to squeeze in a few fun things -- at least we thought they were fun and we hope that Chelsea enjoyed indulging us -- before it got unbearably hot!

Woodland Park Zoo

Monkeys in front of the zoo.....which are which?

In the African Village -- Chelsea and Derek make music and Chelsea dances with Kyle -- although I don't think it was a traditional African folk dance.


The hippos were asleep -- big disappointment -- but Derek and Chelsea took a moment to urge "Horace" (the brass) hippo --"Don't die Horace -- hang on, help will come, please, please don't die!"

The giraffe -- watching Chelsea and Kyle watch him.
These were very cool plants -- they looked like ginormous beet tops too me....if the tops were that big -- imagine the beets you could have.
These were in the "Asian" area on our way to take a gander at the Elephants.
Kyle in the pagoda
We saw the elephants -- there was an Asian elephant and an African elephant. But in an effort to not completely overwhelm -- I didn't put all the photo's of animals, cause I liked the ones of us better --

I still remember the day that Derek, when he was about 4 years old, coming to me and saying, "Mom, I know why Dumbo doesn't fit in and has such big ears."
"Why?", I asked.
"Because, Asian elephants have small ears and African elephants have bigger ears -- So Dumbo is an African elephant."
I don't know where or how he'd heard that little tidbit of knowledge, because I certainly didn't teach it to him -- I didn't know that until then......so there you have it. Dumbo is an African elephant.....just look at his ears.

We saw the orangutans, but they were all inside and the flash bounced off the glass -- so no good photo's of them -- but look at these monkeys....

Becoming FansOur day at the zoo was gorgeous! Blue sky, cool temperatures, and a slight breeze....but as the day began to warm we needed some fans....this is the best we could do....

This is down in the bear cave -- you can watch the bears from inside as they wander or as they fish.....if you look hard you can see the bear over Kyle's right shoulder.

Chelsea loves her Uncle Jon -- he's one of her favorite Uncles!

Out to discover!

Top: Kyle and Derek trying to save Chelsea from certain death at the jaws of the snow leopard!

Below: Derek scores a 98 on his 8 second ride on the snow leopard. Kyle wanted to ride too -- but needed a little encouragment.

Kyle had more fun riding the carousel!

Derek recaptures the spirit of George Washington in the ship "Los Amigos", Kyle tries to mimic him and Chelsea is just along for the ride -- while the lady in the back -- so rudely interrupts our photo op by plopping her kids in the picture with us! Guess adult kids don't need their pictures taken in toys for the little ones! So we left to view the penguins!

In the picture booth

5 minutes and $5 later -- wahhh lahh -- a ZOO photo....

On our way out of the zoo we stopped by the gift shop where Chelsea and I modeled the latest in fashionable hats and Jon galantly treated everyone to a loooooong pencil and Chelsea to a memorial magnet depicting flamingoes and proclaiming "Woodland Park Zoo".

Seattle Saturday

Taken outside the Seattle Aquarium

Kyle, Chelsea, Jon, Scott and Derek.

"If the price is right...." you can read about the creatures that live in Elliott Bay!

By the fountain on the waterfront -- all those boys could've posed for photo's in the 1800's....look at those stoic expressions!

Kyle being unhappy because I made him pose by the penguin before he let go of his balloon!

Derek ~~ Penguin ~~ Chelsea

Scott ~~ "Really Chelsea, you expect me to smile for a picture? I only smile in pictures with Sunny....sorry."

Chelsea ~~ "Smile you jerk before I belt you."

Bear ~~ "Tourists!"

You can't take a trip to the water-front in Seattle without visiting "Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe" to see the mummy and the various other exotic things in this shop.

Kyle by the totem poles outside the Curiosity Shoppe -- he and I just couldn't take the crowds or the overwhelming smell of the burning incense -- so we waited outside.

Chelsea and Kyle waiting for Jon to buy some sourdough bread at the bakery on the pier.

We parked in the garage near the Pike Place Market -- and on our way back we stopped at the Market -- because it was afternoon and it was Saturday -- the Market was packed AND hot! But we pushed through the crowds to the fish market and watched them throw fish.

We walked outside the market where it was less crowded to get back to the car -- this pig was on the building opposite the Pike Place Market -- we didn't venture in there.....but because the markets have pig mascots -- we needed a photo of at least one pig.

As we walked across the skybridge we saw this big freighter coming down Elliott Bay to the port.

Parking in Seattle is always tricky -- but Jon squeezed the van into one of the last "compact" parking spaces available in the garage.....


San Juan Island ~~ Friday Harbor

We took a day trip out to San Juan Island -- we love this trip -- we left home at 6:30 a.m. for the hour and a half drive to Anacortes, where we boarded the ferry for the 8:30 a.m. sailing to Friday Harbor. We were on the ferry "Elwah".

The crossing was gorgeous -- the wind was cool and we were parked by the outside on the upper car deck on the port side of the ferry. The crossing from Anacortes to Friday Harbor takes about and hour. Most of us went up on deck -- I went up long enough to force Kyle out onto the outside observation deck for a photo -- you can tell he wasn't very happy about it. He likes to go on the ferry -- but it makes him anxious at the same time.

Derek, Scott, Kyle, Ronna ~~ I guess I've never realized that I'm a might short -- good thing I'm mean to make up for my height ~~ anyway -- it took all three of us to hold Kyle in place for a photo.

Derek, Kyle, Scott and Sunny ~~ we were so happy that Sunny could (and would) come and spend the day with us! It was so much fun to have her and Chelsea with us.

Scott and Sunny -- inside where it was warm.

Derek and Chelsea

Coming in to Friday Harbor, I held the camera out to get a photo of them leaning on the railing. To get the one of Scott and Sunny, I had to stand with one foot in the van, and one on the side of the ferry -- this did NOT make Kyle happy! He was only relieved and stopped nagging me when we were all safely in the van waiting to disembark.

During the crossing -- Jon started to feel achy, nauseated, headache and clammy skinned. He was chilled and just wasn't feeling very well....when we got into Friday Harbor we stopped and got him some medicine and got him drinking some water -- he started feeling a little better.

Our first stop was Lime Kiln Point and the lighthouse there..... we have seen Orca whales heading South down the coast of the island before -- this day we missed them by about an hour and half -- "J" and "L" pods had passed the lighthouse heading North at 9:30 a.m. and we didn't get to the lighthouse until 11 a.m. Wish we could have seen them.....it is the coolest thing I think I've ever seen!
Before you walk down to the lighthouse -- there is this most informative and comforting sign!

Scott and Sunny
Chelsea -- and Derek -- once again resisting the request for a photo....

The lighthouse at Lime Kiln Point

Kyle ~~ "On the Rocks"~~ Kyle got up on top of the rocks (with a little help) and then couldn't get back down -- Jon coached him through it -- and finally gave up and piggy backed him off -- much to Kyle's relief. Notwithstanding his fear -- Kyle is a Saunders "man" and couldn't resist the pull of climbing again.....he was brave and ventured a ways on his own.

Heading back up the trail --Scott was "tired" so Sunny gave him a piggy-back ride -- for about 2 steps before she just about collapsed!

We left Lime Kiln Point and drove to South Beach where we had a picnic. Scott killed a bee that landed on the paper towels and for the rest of the time we were eating, there were bees, not swarming, but sort of dive-bombing him. The bees didn't really bother anyone else. After we ate we went down on the beach and threw rocks, logs, and almost each other into the surf.

Jon found his "perfect" rock of the trip ~~ He and I always collect a rock or two.

The LOG THROW!
Chelsea conquers the seaweed -- but as you can see....it fought back.

On the beach...
This couple lead their horses on to the beach -- they were training them not to be afraid of the waves -- it was interesting to watch. The lead horse was walking right on the edge of the water and as a bigger wave washed onto the shore, it danced away. She held on to the lead and worked the horse back down to the edge of the water.....it was cool to watch. Kyle wanted to go greet the horses, but they were too skittish.

Back: Ronna, Jon, Derek

Front: Scott, Sunny, Kyle, Chelsea

We asked a nice lady on the beach to take a photo of all of us.

As you can see -- Sunny just wanted to get away, Kyle wasn't cooperatvie and Chelsea was holding him in place while Derek cleverly employed the traditional "bunny ears".

We had a great time on the beach -- and all left hot, sweaty and sunburned......this is the day when the temperatures really began to heat up, and we were thankful for the air conditioning in the van.

Next we drove to the English Camp -- South beach is near the US Redoubt and American Camp -- at the English camp is the sign that tells of the almost "pig war" between the US and Britain.

On our way back to Friday Harbor to get in line for the ferry we passed the Alpaca farms. These are strange looking animals with very valuable wool. Jon wouldn't stop so Icould take a picture of the sheep in the next field.

We parked the van in line for the ferry at 2:30 p.m. -- the sailing wouldn't happen until 5 p.m. but we didn't want to miss the sailing -- by this time, Jon was really feeling awful! So we got

ice cream and went to the park near the harbor. Jon napped on the grass for a bit, while we waited. I walked up to the store, bought some Gatorade and made him chug two bottles. He started feeling better almost immediately........he'd had too much sun and was dehydrated!
See Chelsea? There are too pictures of me!

Ships in the harbor....

We had a great day!

We are so thankful that Chelsea would make the time to spend here with us. We had so much fun ~~ She arrived from Rexburg on Thursday, July 23rd. Our Zoo trip was Friday, the 24th of July, we went to downtown Seattle on Sautrday, the 25th and San Juan Island was Monday, the 27th of July. Each day got progressively hotter. By Tuesday, July 28th the temperature in Kirkland reached 100 degrees -- it has not been that hot ever in the nine years we've lived here. On Wednesday, July 29th, Seattle beat the all time heat record logging a 103 degrees at Seat Tac airport. That same day -- in our front yard it was 108 degrees and on the back deck it was 103 degrees with 50% humidity. It was stifling. Derek, Chelsea, Scott and Sunny went tubing down the Snoqualmie River, while Kyle and I spent three hours at McDonalds in the air conditioning. That night --we went to see a movie, it was still 91 degrees at 11 p.m.

Thursday, 30th of July, the temperatures cooled down to 102 -- and we had to let Chelsea go home to Alaska -- As she went through security, Kyle looked at me and said, "I sad." -- and when we got home he promptly packed a suitcase. He's since written the following sentence on the white board -- "Kyle S. go car Mom Dad 747 airplane." No doubt what he wants to do.

We enjoyed our week with Chelsea and hope she enjoyed spending some time with us -- notwithstanding the constant whining (3 days worth) and only conversation being the weather and how hot and miserable it was. Hope she'll come back sometime.....if nothing else, she'll have memories of record breaking heat and whining relatives!

We Love you Chelsea!!!